Member Letitia Johnson.

Councilmember Mary Waters.

Present.

Councilmember Angela Winfo Callaway.

Madam Vice Chair Decorn.

All right, and thank you.

And um Member Johnson did indicate that she's running a little late.

Clerk will center.

Thank you.

All right.

So we'll go to uh public comments and at two minutes.

Public comment will be cut off at 1005.

How many uh do we have here in the nobody's in the committee of the whole?

Uh how many do we have online?

Morning, madam chair.

We have nine hands raised for virtual public comment.

All right.

Then thank you.

Everybody will get two minutes, and we can go ahead and proceed.

The first caller is Miko A.

Williams.

Uh, good morning, Miko A.

Williams.

How are you?

Good morning, Councilmember Waters.

How are you this morning?

I'm fine, thank you.

Shout out to you and Mrs.

Callaway, two strong women of the of this body, and I uh in this council.

I really much appreciate you guys uh doing the work that you do.

Uh welcome back from recess.

Um I just want to reiterate my comments from uh yesterday to make it plain and clear, you know, uh to Detroit citizens.

But first, I wanted to say thank you, Detroit.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, times 100 for voting in our election.

I understand we have a short uh we had a short turnout, we didn't have many people, but you did the you did the thing.

That's okay.

We just got to get people to the part to the generals and to the general election.

And the smoke cleared, and now we are a city in mourning and healing, and we're also in need of protection surrounding many of the issues and situations going on in our fair city.

Um, I just want to say I love all my neighbors.

When I was at the Jazz Fest on Monday, I know I I I criticized it, but I saw many people in my community.

Those people that I love, those I don't like, others that I can't stand, and those that's that have uh been in the midst, but that's okay.

You know, we're all a community, and we just have to learn how to live with each other and how to do better for our city.

We want our city to move forward and thrive.

We want it to be the terrace of the Midwest, and we are a world-class city.

Never forget that.

We're the stars and champions and underdogs that make the city what it is today.

And uh, I will continue to stand for justice, for democracy, for liberty, and for freedom in the pursuit of happiness in our city for all these traders and not just some that are rich and white that want to control everything.

But that's all right, we're gonna break through and we will liberate this city.

Thank you so much for taking my comment.

And ladies, please have a great day.

Welcome back.

All right, and thank you.

Um, who's our next caller?

Our next caller is Sean Help Cunningham help people.

All right, good morning.

Um Sean.

Good morning.

Good morning.

You have two minutes.

Yes.

Uh Cunningham is a blessing.

He told me about this meeting.

Uh, I just feel like we need cleaner bus stops, and the buses need to be on time.

And if they could do something like putting benches at bus stops, you got these old people that gotta wait for the buses that didn't the bus is not on time, they gotta stand and wait.

And I feel like they should have somewhere to be able to sit down.

Are you done?

Yes.

Okay.

Well, I let me just say that I certainly agree with you.

They should have somewhere to sit.

We also need to make sure that their trash cans uh at every bus stop so that people are not throwing their trash on the ground.

Um, so duly noted.

Thank you.

Um next caller.

Next caller is Cunningham.

Good morning, Mr.

Cunningham.

Mr.

Cunningham.

Hello, can you hear me?

We can hear you, yes.

Yes.

Uh so I'm out and about, as always, giving out bus tickets and uh ice water, pillow the weather, uh talking with the people.

Brother Sean always has issues, and I tell him to talk to the powers that be you don't bite.

You don't buy, you can't bite through the phone.

So uh he did talk to you, and there's many more like them, but I do hear a lot of people say they know already, it's not going to help anything.

Woe is me.

I don't want to fight.

That's how most of the people are out here in regards to the bus services have been bad for so long, and city council doesn't really care for them.

They feel I I think otherwise.

And so my hotline number 313 4449114, 3134, 9114.

313, 444, 9114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

And that is also my cash app.

If you like to meet me, some deposit of words and the text message.

Again, it is 313 444 9114.

Please send a cash app or just reach out to me.

I can pick up clothing for the people, bus tickets, etc.

And on Facebook, you click in not enemy again on Facebook, not enemy.

Go ahead and click people, and um put it not in.

You see me in blue, me and my family uh just standing together.

Um, I thank you, council women.

Welcome back.

Welcome back, ladies.

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, ladies.

And ma'am, what's your name?

Angela.

If you can say one thing about the buses, we got 10 seconds.

Tell us something.

Well, first of all, they're not that clean anymore.

They used to be clean and need to do a little more cleaning.

They're not on time, they're always late.

How old are you?

Where are you from?

I'm 62.

I'm from Detroit.

Thank you, ladies.

Take care.

Honorable councilwoman.

All right, and and thank you all so much for for sharing.

And Mr.

Cunningham, please let um let our residents know that we do care.

Uh, we push as much as we can on our end.

All right, but we'll continue.

Thank you.

Um, next caller.

Next caller is not that Karen.

Not that Karen.

Good morning.

Hello.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Uh, yes, welcome back um to City's business.

Um, we have a lot of business that we have to take care of here in this city.

Uh, I want to speak on the retirees, and I want you guys to keep the retiree situation first and foremost in your mind.

Um, you know, realizing that we have not had a cost of living adjustment uh in 12 years, and it's almost impossible for a person to deal with today's prices with 12 year ago salary.

So we we need to not only get rid of the clawback, we need to work on that regaining that cost of living.

When the bankruptcy came through, the the general service retirees were separated from the public safety retirees, and they didn't suffer uh the police and fire didn't suffer the same um you know degree that the regular general service retirees suffered.

Now the president has come through and he's changed the social security.

That was one of the reasons that the police and fire didn't get hit, was because they didn't get social security.

Well, the president has changed that.

Now they've gone back and they got a large lump sum, and now they do get benefits from having the social, you know, from the social security where they weren't getting it.

So since that's changed, I think that the retirees plight needs to change.

We need to get our we need to be made whole.

You know, we didn't do anything wrong, and we shouldn't be punished like stepchildren uh to the police and fire situation.

Um the city parking lot, it's a public parking lot.

I didn't even know it was there because it's overgrown with weeds.

When I took my great grandson to get his hair cut on McNichols, the parking lot is south of McNichols between Liber and Wyoming.

Don't know the exact street.

But in any event, the weeds are have grown up at least a foot high.

So nobody parks there because it looks like a trap for you to you know be assaulted.

So maybe if we could take care of that, people will park there.

The trash cans, we need recyclable cans.

Uh blue is the general color for recyclable trash.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And good morning, everyone.

My apologies for my tardiness, but thank you to my colleagues for getting started.

Member Callaway.

Thank you.

Um Karen, I hope you're still listening.

We'll look into the parking lot that you just described.

I think you said it's on uh West McNichols, it's a city-owned lot.

And um, with respect to the blue recycle bins, those were approved in this most recent budget.

$500,000 was secured um for DPW to do just that to place the um blue recycle bins.

If you look around district two and other areas in the city, they are being placed um as we speak.

And if there's an area where you believe a blue recycle bin should be installed, you can call our office at 224 4535.

You can let me know that location, or you can call DPW directly.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Next caller is William M.

Davis.

William M.

Davis, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Uh good morning, ladies.

Can I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Okay, I like to say I agree with everything, not that Karen just said.

Of course I do.

Um, because the city has been not a very good steward of its resources and have not treated City Chart retirees very well, especially in this whole massive recovery that the mayor's always bragging about, has been and continues to be on our backs.

Uh especially as it relates to the clawback and the interest on the clawback, but the cost of living, you know, everything's gone up.

The mayor's salary's gone up 45%, but ours have not gone up one penny.

You know, we we need to make sure that we remember the least of these.

Uh you know, sometimes you hear people talk about generational wealth, but a lot of generation wealth was stolen and continue to be stolen.

Uh, the city of Detroit continues to be a poor steward in that they could do a whole lot more.

The city could do a whole lot more about trying to renegotiate some of these horrible deals from the bankruptcy.

Uh, I think if we have a next, if the next mayor is a strong, you know, mayor, perhaps they would be more willing to challenge the amount of money we're getting from the Great Lakes Wild Authority for at least in our water facilities.

Uh the next mayor probably would be someone that could stand up and renegotiate the deal with Bell Lao, you know, so that we could have more say so, more everyday say so, but perhaps getting some of the revenue that's coming from that.

There's a whole lot of things that the city could and should be looking at.

You know, the increased revenue that perhaps could help City Detroit retirees.

Also, separately, you know, I I've lived, you know, District 7 near Dearborn and Reprit and what have you.

Those communities, when people live, they get tickets.

They don't seem like they give tickets and they get bigger tickets.

So I think more could be done to improve the city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And before we proceed to the next caller, I'd like to call the 1015 interview to order and recess it to the call of the chair.

We are now back at public comment.

Who's our next caller?

Next caller is you matter.

You matter.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning, may I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Okay, great.

Um first of all, I'd like to say that McNichols City parking lot, that would have been a perfect place to put solar panels instead of put people through the misery of the solar takings right now with the extremely callous attorneys y'all hired.

Like really, some of the stuff I've seen is like uh bar complaint material when they know they haven't properly served people.

But anyway, another thing I'd like to say is while I like Byron Iceburn, I think he never should have been put on the Board of Zoning Appeals while he's on the community advisory council.

I think that's a total conflict of interest.

However, if you do put them on the Detroit Wayne Joint Building Authority, I would like to ask you, uh Mr.

Osburn, to please make sure all their video cameras work because when I was harassed and then bully slammed to the ground and falsely arrested by uh Detroit police officer.

Oh, suppose not only did he not produce his body cam video, but the uh Detroit Wayne Joint Building Authority said the camera right above, which should have caught all of the action where he was harassing me, allegedly didn't work.

Well, I don't believe that for a second.

But going back to Zhausmer, uh, you know, you got a whole law department, and these people are so callous, it's unbelievable.

I was just in the hospital.

I let them know, and they filed documents on me and we didn't even call me back about being in the hospital.

And um, why is there why was there no right to counsel for the people in the solar takings?

But you're doing this.

Also, I there was a lovely gentleman from the demolition department who came to board up 296 Smith, owned by the people who want to build North End Landing that was open for over a week.

There's garbage all over, they mow over the garbage, but design.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Next caller is Tyson Gersh.

Tyson Gersh, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Hi, can you hear me?

Yes.

Thanks.

Um, I guess a couple things.

Um, one, I'm really, I think council needs to do a bit of a deeper dive into the court reporting transcript um contracts with the zoning board.

Um of the LPD memos that came out around this issue uh suggest that it's state law for there to be a court reporter at all of the zoning hearings.

Um I I don't think that's actually true.

Um, I've spoken to about 12 different municipalities, and uh Detroit seems to be the only municipality that doesn't uh that like thinks it has to include like a uh certified court reporter at its hearings and produce these like certified transcripts.

Every other municipality that I spoke to in the state of Michigan, um they just like record their their hearings and post it online, and then people can export like uh uh one of the like the caption transcript that's automatically generated.

Um why are we spending any tax dollars paying for a court report or anything?

Um two.

I think we really need to unpack this whole BZA record thing still.

Um I mean the BZA for sure is getting an automatic live instant transcript after all of its hearings as part of its record, which um is a public document under its own rules, but it's not including those in the records being sent to the circuit court, and that would totally suffice for the purposes of the circuit court, and this whole idea that somehow appellants need to pay in my case nearly five thousand dollars to be able to challenge a decision makes no sense at all.

Thank you.

The next caller.

The next caller is Mr.

Roo, Mr.

Rue.

You have two minutes for general public comment, Mr.

Roo.

Okay, Ms.

Jackson, let's come back to Mr.

Rue.

Are you there?

Okay, let's come back to Mr.

Roo.

Caller is Mr.

Ronald Foster, Mr.

Ronald Foster.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Oh, good morning, duty chair.

Um, just a few things.

Um first thing, I think um a report came out that was very important that articulated free speech here, and the consequences of free speech.

Uh, free speech is there to protect even the most vile language, the most disagreeable language.

This council has to do a better job in protecting free speech and not retaliate and bringing cases on people and uh bringing harassments based upon disagreements with what people are saying.

Secondly, uh moving forward.

Uh, while I agree with free speech and I support free speech, I think that this council need to be a lot more clearer with their lobbyists, those that they pay um through grants and beautification means and other means to continue to get on this uh public comment and speak indirectly to other folks.

Um, I think those things have to stop.

I think we need to have audit on our public commanders, and they need to state whether or not they are special interests or whether they are the interest of the whole community, but this dark money um lobbying has to stop.

I'm from the north end too.

I love my neighbors too, and I'm not sure where smoke may have cleared because we still have a 40% voter turnout.

So I don't think that the people have really spoken because they can't afford to speak.

Maybe there was so much grieving throughout the last 30 to 60 days with children being shot and killed that people just don't have the time to come out and vote and do things, and so I just really asked that our community, man, have some integrity, speak for yourself and stop being puppets for these um council members.

Have some integrity.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

We're going back to next year.

Mr.

Rue, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Mr.

Rue, are you there?

Your phone is breaking up.

Mr.

Rue.

Mr.

Rue, going once.

Going twice.

Mr.

Rue going three times.

Unfortunately, it appears that you have a bad connection and we cannot hear you.

If you have a public comment that you'd like to put on the record, please contact the clerk's office.

Until then, we'll hear from you next time.

Thank you so much for calling in.

Who's who's our next caller?

Madam Chair, that was our last caller.

All right.

That was our final caller.

And that now concludes our general public comment.

We are going to move back to the agenda.

And before I call the 1015 interview, um, colleagues, is there a motion to approve the minutes?

Motion.

Hearing no objection, that action shall be taken.

And I'd like to call the 1025 interview to order and recess it to the call of the chair.

And now I'd like to call back the 1015 interview.

The 1015 interview is for Marlo Sean Franklin for the reappointment to the Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment CAC.

I believe Mr.

Franklin is joining us virtually.

Good morning.

Please introduce yourself for the record.

All right, good morning.

Thank you for joining us.

Please talk to us.

We we know that we've interviewed you before, but please share your background with the general public.

And if you will, give some information about your experience on the uh Brownfield Redevelopment CAC thus far.

Okay.

Uh just short bio of myself.

My name is Marlo Sean Franklin Senior.

Uh proud Detroiter, uh, 53 years of age, been living in the city of Detroit.

Uh, my background is I worked in the mayor's office, the county exec's office, the sheriff's department, Wayne County Sheriff's Department, uh was the political director for SEIU, and was also the Michigan political uh and coalitions director for Vice President Harris and uh President Biden.

Um that's to just give you uh a gamut of my background, and I also have a company uh that I have now, too as well, political consultant company.

Um my experience uh on the board has been great.

Uh uh I've been there working with integrity, uh, humility and compassion.

Uh I have a voting record uh uh of 75% of all the meetings I've been to, I've been to 75% of the meetings.

Uh I go in there open-minded, project by project, uh, making sure uh that I serve uh uh this this board, like I stated, with integrity and to look at each project uh in the best interest, not only for the whole city of Detroit, but the best interest for the communities communities in which they are in.

Uh it's been delightful.

I think that we're moving in the great direction in regards to you know, small businesses, medium businesses, and large businesses moving throughout uh the city of Detroit.

Uh, but like I stated before, uh, my experience has been great, and I look forward to possibly and potentially getting reappointed to this board.

All right, thank you for that.

Um talk to us.

I know I'm not sure how frequently the CAC meets.

Uh can you talk about your let's say the most significant action that you have taken since you've been on the board?

Uh um I think councilwoman, they're all significant because it impacts Detroiters, right?

And I think the main focus for me on that board is you know what is the community like in that and community engagement with these particular developments within uh the areas around the city.

Uh and knowing that the community had a great conversation and work with these developers that are doing that, that's instrumental and very monumental to myself to understand what the community wants to be engaged in and how they're engaged in in their communities too as well.

Uh and also knowing that Detroiters had the first right to be able to have some of these particular jobs uh and union jobs too as well.

Uh so I stay open-minded in regards to every development.

I don't think that is one that's bigger than the other, but when you look at numbers, you would say that probably the Henry Ford hospital uh pistons deal was probably the biggest one uh in numbers wise uh relatively to uh impact.

Thank you.

And so have you availed yourself to attend the meetings um when there is a neighborhood advisory council?

Yes, ma'am.

I I've been uh invited, I've been to a few of those, uh very impactful.

I go in there uh without explaining who I am.

I just wanted to see what the process was and make sure that it was fair uh to that community.

All right, thank you.

Colleagues, any questions, comments, concerns.

All right, seeing none.

Colleagues, is there a motion?

Um actually, if if there is a motion to bring this line item back, uh we do have several other interviews for the board.

Uh so is there a motion to bring line item five back?

I will just say for a date to be determined because I believe the other interviews are being scheduled, they may be scheduled for next week.

But if we can bring this line item back for a date to be determined, uh that would be appreciated.

All right, thank you.

There's a motion to bring line item five back for a date to be determined, and Mr.

Franklin, we will follow up with you as we proceed.

We do have, I believe, two open positions for the CAC in addition to the two of you that are being interviewed today who would like to seek reappointment.

Uh, and so as we conclude all of the interviews, we will follow up with you as things progress.

I deeply appreciate and I look forward to the opportunity.

All right, thank you so much.

We appreciate you joining us and for your interest.

Thank you.

All right, colleagues, that now closes out line item five.

All right.

I now like to call back to order the 1025 interview.

And the 1025 interview is for Mr.

George Etheridge seeking reappointment to the Brownfield Redevelopment CAC.

Good morning, Mr.

Etheridge.

Please join us here at the table.

Good morning, honorable committee members.

Good morning.

Please introduce yourself for the record.

Uh my name is George Etheridge.

I am a uh former city planner and policy analyst with the Detroit City Council.

Uh currently the economic development manager and policy manager for Activate Detroit.

All right, excellent.

Um share with us a bit of your background and your experience as well.

Um considering you've been on the Brownfield Redevelopment CAC.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Uh, for 16 years, I served as a policy analyst and city planner for the Detroit City Council specializing in land use zoning and economic development, having reviewed the vast majority of Brownfields, obsolete properties, community uh commercial rehabilitation districts, as well as land sales for your honorable body.

Uh, for the past four years, I've been in the private sector again serving in a similar capacity, um, but on the um genesis of a lot of these uh uh developments that we're seeing within the city of Detroit, uh born and raised here in the city, proud district two resident, and um having had the pleasure of serving the Brownfield CAC for this past term.

All right, excellent, thank you.

Um so talk to us about your experience on the CAC.

Is there anything uh significant that you feel like you can share with us, successes, um things that you've seen going well, perhaps some things that you'd like to see improved upon?

Um my experience, I I feel that the work that the Brownfield board and in and of itself that they do, um the CAC lends its opinion very well.

The CAC lends its opinion very well.

I'm trying to articulate this.

I find it very complimentary.

We serve as the voice of the citizenry within our respective districts and for the city of Detroit at large.

We inform the Brownfield board, which in turn informs your honorable body as relates to whether or not a property meets the definition of being a brownfield, if it makes financial sense, or in essence, if it's a great fit for the host community.

In terms of successes, we've seen a number of developments that have come through, as the on previous interviewees stated, the piston steel, which is bringing housing and jobs and training opportunities.

During our tenure on the board, we've seen changes in state legislation, which has broadened the scope of what classifies as being a brownfield.

And reviewing the financial analysis from the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and seeing the outcomes of community meetings.

All right, excellent.

Thank you for that.

And have you been able to attend the neighborhood advisory?

The yes, neighborhood advisory council meetings when one has been stood up for a development project that comes before you all.

Yes, in addition to having attended myself, I ensure that local vendors that might have the opportunity to employ Detroiters and or bring about union jobs for various developments are in attendance as well.

That's one of my leading questions for all developers.

You know, who are your general contractors?

Who is your project manager?

Um do you have local vendors for things from asbestos remediation to lead abatement?

Um those are questions that I typically ask.

And ensure that Detroiters have the opportunity to have a seat at the table.

Thank you.

All right, colleagues, any questions, comments?

Member Callaway.

Yeah, thank you.

And good morning, Mr.

Etherich.

Um, thank you for your service on the board.

Thank you for doing an outstanding job.

Thank you for attending the meetings, um, being present.

Um my question to you is just why do you want to continue to serve?

Because you're very busy, we know that you are, um, and um family man, you know, um, very involved in your community, and also with your um with um with the company that you work for.

Why are you willing to um or why are you interested in continuing to serve?

And do you still have the time?

Thank you.

I certainly do have the time.

I have a 99% attendance rating.

Yes, you do.

Having it having only missed one meeting due to a family vacation.

Yep.

Um, however, the reason I would like to continue to serve is because I know that there's so much more work that needs to be done within the city.

There's so many more vacant corridors and properties that qualify as brownfield and are obsolete properties that the community voice might be absent.

Um, there are a number of districts or communities where there are no established neighborhood associations, where there's a form letter that's submitted by a developer that's signed off on by those that have minimal interest or those that might be absentee from the community.

I feel that it's important that this board or this committee is set up to lend the community voice and ask those questions to make sure that developments aren't deleterious to the host communities, and that it does make financial sense and that it ultimately benefits the residents in the city of Detroit in the long term.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Etheritch, and um through the chair to yourself.

Um discussions regarding um James Cousins.

We have about um sixty to almost seventy vacant um buildings on that strip.

Um the lodge over there is being um uh not repaired but upgraded.

So the lodge, uh the service drive, and all the um I guess the walls that um go down into the freeway are all being replaced and um looks like upgraded.

But the businesses over there, the few that are there, there may be 10 over there, but they're like 60 vacant buildings, 60 to 70.

Is there any discussion about James Cousin?

Because that used to be a very vibrant neighborhood before the lodge cut through there, removed all those homes.

Um often talk to Peter about it, and it gets very dangerous right around Vassar and the Lodge as it connects to Hubble, going back around to um the service drive traveling north.

Um very very dangerous over there.

Um lot of accidents, and there's a daycare center at the foot, and you know exactly where I'm talking about at the foot of VAZR and Vassar and the Lodge.

So is there any conversations about what can be done over there?

Um, any brownfield potential, because we like to see those areas um reactivated with some vibrant businesses, and um I don't know what we can do about Vassar and um it hitting the lodge service drive.

Uh through the chair to you, Councilwoman Calloway.

Um, there's certainly a ton of potential for that area.

Unfortunately, there has not yet been any conversations or requests from any of the property owners uh for that area.

Um one thing that could be done given your interest and the council's interest in that area.

Uh Brownfield district could be established independent of the property owners making that request.

That could be a request that comes from your honorable body to establish the district, which would then in turn be a benefit to the property owners where they can pursue those various tax initiatives through their own respective projects.

So the district itself can be set up by this honorable body, and um then in turn be taken advantage of by those property owners.

It could be uh an informational campaign that needs to be launched where they're made aware of various incentives that are available to them, be it through Brownfield, obsolete property, commercial rehabilitation, etc.

Um, to an earlier question, how often the board meets, we meet the first and third Wednesdays of each month, but unfortunately the applications have been incredibly slow coming in.

The last three um board meetings have been um unfortunately canceled due to a lack of agenda items.

Well, through the chair, well, I'm hoping we can throw this on the agenda and give you guys something to meet about.

Um I would love to see the Brownfield district set up over there at the James Cousins area because we're desperate.

Um, and then what about the Avenue of Fashion?

We can talk about this um at a later date because we're struggling over there.

You know, people like to talk about it around the country, but come over there.

We got a lot of uh motor city match business in the in business today, out of business tomorrow.

They're not being sustained, right?

We know that they're not.

I got another one closing up.

Natural-ish hair salon.

That's closing up.

It just opened a year ago, now it's closing up.

You know, um tie-dye closed, uh, petty cash closed.

Um, there's quite a few over there on the Avenue of Fashion that are just closing.

My waffle cafe didn't last a year, closed.

You know what I'm talking about.

So we got to stop bragging about the Avenue of Fashion and put some money and some resources over there, stop tearing up Livernoy um for all these different experiments.

Okay, so that's it for me.

Thank you, Mr.

Etherich.

You absolutely have my support.

I'm so grateful that you are a district two resident, and um, we appreciate all that you do in your community to make it better and safer for um for all of your neighbors, and then letting me know when there was a flood over there.

Um you're just always um where you're supposed to be, and I appreciate everything that you do to make district two safer and to serving on the um on this committee.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

Any additional questions or comments?

All right, seeing none, Mr.

Etherich, is there anything additionally that you'd like to share with us or the general public?

Um through the chair again.

I thank you for the opportunity to potentially um continue to serve in this capacity on the Brownfield Citizens Advisory Committee.

Thank you.

Yeah, and Madam Chair, thank you, Member Callaway.

Um I'd like to make a motion to I don't know what the process is to establish the Brownfield district in the James Cousin area.

I don't know what the process is.

I don't know if law needs to chime in now or LPD, but I'd like that to be that is my motion to look into establishing the James Cousin district um as a brownfield, and we can provide the boundaries.

Um and that is my motion.

I don't know if it goes to law or LPD or both, or uh if it goes to planning, I don't know how that works.

Madam Chair.

So hearing the motion.

Hearing no objection, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member Waters.

And also, Madam Chair, if I might add, um, through yourself to Mr.

Etherich, if you don't mind at a later date, talking with Peter and the other person on my policy team about um some of the recommendations that you made um with respect to um the district over there and how we can bring that about.

Thank you so much.

My pleasure.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

All right, and thank you, Mr.

Etheridge, for uh joining us today.

Thank you for your service and your continued commitment to the city of Detroit.

We know you've been doing this for a long time.

We appreciate it.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Colleagues, is there a motion to bring line item six back for a date to be determined for all interviews to take place?

Motion hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

That now concludes our 1025 interview, and we are moving on to unfinished business.

Uh beginning with well, without objection, I'd like to combine line items 7.1 through 7.4.

These are contracts to provide AV production services for small and large scale events.

Colleagues, is there a motion to discuss?

Motion I do see that we have Ms.

Vicky Thomas here.

Um joined by another beautiful young lady from Media Services.

Once you are settled, please touch the base of the microphone and the light will turn green.

I know you all already know that, right?

Yes, good morning.

Uh Vicky Thomas, communications director for the city of Detroit, and welcome back from recess.

Thank you.

Myesha Crawford, um administrative director for media services.

Thank you both so much for joining us.

I know these contracts came before us uh during recess, and I know you all have had numerous conversations about them, I'm sure.

Um can you just kind of walk us through the four contracts, what we have here in front of us.

All right.

Uh, first of all, I just wanted to say that uh we took heed to your concerns and the approach that we took this time around in um coming up with the contracts uh is the tiered approach uh that allowed uh some of the smaller um A V companies to participate, uh and we did that with an eye toward um allowing them to increase their capacity.

Uh we went through a uh lengthy process in terms of going out on site visits.

Uh we had a pre-bid meeting.

Um, and uh I think we pulled out all the stops to really make sure that we gave everyone an opportunity.

Um, and with that, uhisha, I don't know if there's anything else you'd like to add.

Um, I just would like to add that we did take this contract that was solely um held by one contractor and divided it up uh into tiers so that other contractors within um smaller contractors could have the opportunity to uh bid in the process and be awarded uh part of the contract to build capacity.

All right, thank you for that.

And I know there was previous discussion about bringing these services in-house.

Can you talk about that as well?

Well, I think uh when we look at the broader picture, um we have a staff that currently services uh city council, the mayor, uh, some departments where uh we have the availability, but our team is an excellent team.

I uh just want to give them a shout out, they do uh tremendous work.

Uh we looked at like the number of requests that we received from city council members over the last year, and uh there were 136, and uh we only declined maybe two, and that could have been from short notice or uh capacity issues, but that's a 99% completion rate, which I think is pretty pretty amazing.

All right, thank you.

Colleagues, any questions, comments, and I do see that we have Leonard Jones, I believe, who's good to join us virtually.

All right.

Thank you.

Um Member Callaway, yeah.

Thank you, thank you to everyone, and good morning.

Good morning.

Glad to see us um investing in our own.

Um very excited about the two companies that we were able to locate.

Well, we didn't locate them, they've been here, but we gave them an opportunity because they just didn't, you know, um get on the scene, they've been on the scene, and that would be Mish Brew Multimedia, and then we have Good Boy Records.

Um, so um I'm happy that we um took the time and the due diligence to invest in our own and help them and assist them to build to capacity.

My question is um for line item 7.4, they're getting a half a million dollars for two years, and this is Creative Day.

We just can't seem to get away from them out of Troy, Michigan.

Are we paying them for mileage?

Because um I didn't see that in the contract, but I know the last time that this contract appeared before before I held it up, um, which brings us here today, um, they were asking for mileage, and they were charging us to come and set up equipment.

And so is that the case?

Because if it is, um I'm gonna hold 7.4 up again.

So I'm gonna have my staff look at the language of the contract to make sure that's not included.

But the last time this particular contract came before us, they were charging us.

Uh, through the chair to uh member Callaway, uh good morning to you.

Good morning to you.

Yeah, good Good Boy Media, just to go back to to what you were saying.

I was in the process of identifying some of those companies, um, and Good Boy Media was one.

We worked with them, got them registered registered in Oracle.

Um, so I'm really proud of the work we did there.

Um, in terms of um mileage, I I think I'll turn that one over to uh Leonard and OCP.

Well, in regards to mileage through the chair, um their price is inclusive of the of the um uh the work that we asked for, the equipment, the A V technician, so everything is inclusive.

Uh milages and something that they um that we asked them to flush out, but they gave us an all-inclusive price.

So I'm believing the mileage is probably included in their overall price.

I got it through the chair.

I I I I you know I don't think we should be paying a company um the contract price, and then they're charging us to come into the city.

Um I I just I I can't support it.

Um if they don't want to be in the city, then they we shouldn't be doing business with them.

Why do we have to pay them to come in here and then pay them to do the service?

I just think you know, I think that's ridiculous.

Um, and it's probably built into the contract price because it was spelled out during the last um within the last I think four months when it first became before us, and I I have I held it up and I had questions about it.

Then I have questions about it now.

Um I don't think we should have to pay mileage.

Um, and I just think um they don't want to do business with the city and don't want to drive into the city, then they shouldn't they shouldn't be given a contract.

So um that's just my um that's my opinion on line item 7.4 for creative day, um uh $502,000 uh $100,000.

That's a lot of money, a two-year.

And why do they get so much?

And the other two, we got we're giving good boys $90,000, so we're gonna throw them a crumb.

Um, and I'm sure they're grateful for it, but for two years they're gonna get $90,000, which is 45,000 a year.

And I just think it's just you know, but we're giving Creative Day 500,000.

I know we're gonna say they have the capacity for large events.

We've helped them get there.

So I, you know, um, this is a lot of progress, and don't get me wrong, I appreciate the progress that we've made, but they're still getting a huge chunk of um, and this is city money.

This is not grant, this is not ARPA.

This is a hundred percent city funding going to Troy, Michigan.

So I you know, I just can't support um light item 7.4 at a half a million dollars.

We're throwing crumbs to um um a minority-owned business, good boy, a quarter of a million to um Mishbrough, Mish Brew, and then 134,000 to uh company on Westland, but the lion's share is going to um creative day, and I I do appreciate the fact that Media Services has at least brought these um additional two companies that are um in Detroit um to the council.

I'm really really excited about that.

But for us to give Creative Day a half a million dollars, I I just absolutely can't support that.

We need to spread it out a little bit more evenly and give good boy records a larger share of this very large contract.

It's a two-year contract for all of them, but um 45,000, I just we need to do a better job of spreading this contract out in a more equitable manner for all four.

So all of them continue.

Um so the three, the new ones 7.1 through 7.3 could continue to build to capacity.

So that would be um that would be my um position, madam chair, and thank you.

Uh, through the chair uh to member Calloway, I can appreciate that.

Uh one thing I want to say is that when we broke this up into tiers, uh, it's based on the events that uh the different companies bid on, number one, and then number two, the capacity that they had to carry out uh those events.

Uh Creative Day, as you know, uh the state of the city is a huge undertaking, and uh Creative Day, since I've been here before I arrived, um, have been uh doing all the AV setups for uh the state of the city.

Um so the other thing I wanted to mention too, and it kind of goes back to uh Chair Woman Johnson's um question about uh bringing things in-house.

When we went out to the site visits, these companies, uh Creative Day and SR Audio in Westland, they have huge warehouses, they have video walls, so when we think about trying to bring that type of service in-house, where are we gonna house all of that equipment?

Uh they have semi trucks that they have, both uh Creative Day and SR Audio.

So that is really what is reflected in this tiered approach and and breaking it down by the type of event they have to cover.

All right, thank you for that.

So, with that being said, were all of the vendors given the opportunity though to bid on all of the events?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Member Waters, any questions, comments?

Um, so I will just add that um as I've indicated directly to you.

I think I would really love to see City Council to have its own media services staff.

Um I know you indicated that two events have been declined.

I have not experienced having an event or a meeting support decline, but I've I have had things maybe scaled back a little bit because the team was working on something else for the administration.

Um, and seeing that we are here uh in this capacity and doing the work in the community regularly, all albeit not sizable events, at least I don't have sizable events that take creative days technology.

Um the events that I have, I want them to be covered well.

Um, and based on our conversation, you know, having some greater input from the media services team suggesting what we need for the type of event that we are hosting.

Um as I previously indicated, you know, we had we had a developer summit last year, and it was phenomenal.

It was amazing.

We didn't have enough media coverage for it to for me to now be able to say, okay, here's a snippet from the event.

Um, and so that's where we kind of fell short.

And and I'm not a media creative person, so I look to the experts to really advise and inform.

Uh, and so I do think that it would be beneficial for council to have its own media services team uh so that we never have someone saying to us, well, you know, I'm stretched thin and I can provide this, but maybe not these other things.

I don't think that's fair at all.

Okay.

Uh uh to the chair, um one of these contracts does cover the city council evening meetings, right?

Um, and in terms of uh the coverage from media services, we undertook uh um a massive reorganization of the department.

And the department, in my view, since I've been here uh since 2021, is operating at optimal level.

Now hearing your concerns, can we go back and take a look at how we are able to cover your events more extensively?

And I understand what you're saying because there are occasions where we might come for part of the event and then they move on to another event.

So they don't necessarily capture everything that you want.

But I think they do a fabulous job though with the council corners.

I haven't had any complaints about those.

I think one thing that should be considered though is perhaps having staff that actually are slated to work on the weekends.

Because I know when it comes to a weekend, everybody cringes.

We work seven days a week.

Okay, we've been slammed throughout the week, as have we, right?

Uh, and so perhaps you want to consider having a couple of team members that work Wednesday through Sunday or whatever the case may be, so that the weekends are covered.

Uh thank you for that uh feedback, uh, Chair Johnson.

And I will say that we do have members uh uh of the staff that do work on Saturdays and Sundays too.

Okay.

Uh we may not have, you know, it's certainly not full capacity like during the the weekdays, but they are assigned um events on Saturdays and Sundays.

But we will take a look at that to maybe expand and see if we have uh shifts that start Wednesday through Sunday.

Thank you.

Member Waters.

All right, so uh at first I didn't have a complaint, but Member Johnson started reminding me of something.

First thing I want to say though, is that I I tell you when when when they show up, the guys do a phenomenal job.

So, you know, and they're great.

I have a great work and relationship with all of them.

But my signature event this year.

It was canceled at the last minute, saying media service cannot make it.

So, signature, my annual sizzler.

They did they could not come and it was canceled at the last minute.

So and that's something that we plan well ahead of time.

Um with media services, I don't know what happened uh with that, but I I was pretty bothered by that I meant to call you on it and just so much going on.

I I didn't think about it until Member Johnson brought it up.

But yeah, I I want to point that out.

Uh through the chair uh to member waters.

Yeah, I'm sorry that that happened, and I wish you had reached out to me because typically what I'll try to do is work out some sort of a compromise if we can't get there, you know, for the entire event, at least make sure we get there before the event concludes.

Um and I'll look specifically into that case because I had not heard about that, but I I know that there was outside of the two that we um denied, there were four that were canceled, and of the four, um, three were canceled by the council members, and one was canceled, so that must uh by our staff because of shortage of um of staff, and so um I'll look further into that to see exactly what what happened there.

Let me follow up if I may, madam chair, um, to Mr.

Mr.

Jones who's joining us for on Creative Day.

Um what is it?

I I know that the director Thomas did mention you know they have semi trucks and they handle all this very large equipment that either good board or the others do not have.

Um is the is a mileage um itemized in the in their bid or something like that.

Are they uh they you know, did they itemizing saying, well, yeah, this is what we are charging for mileage or whatever?

Because they don't know where they're going, I don't think.

So do the chair, no, no, they did not, and in all of the all of the vendors bid it the same way because we created the price sheet that they um put their their numbers in in order for us to um be able to see who was the lowest uh price.

So they all bid it on the same way um according to our price sheet that we provided in the RFP.

So mileage is included um in in their bids, of course, in whatever overhead they may also have is all included in the bid.

Um is not itemized separately to see exactly what they are charging for mileage.

It gets good boy, it gets Mitch Bruce, but all these guys have to travel, they all have to have cargo vans or box trucks.

Um they all have to you know get equipment from different parts of the city where they're coming from.

So you know, mileages and all of it is built into all of their pricing.

All of them okay, all right.

And through the chair, um uh just piggyback on what Leonard said.

Another um distinction uh member waters is the staffing levels.

That is something that um we've took took into account uh as well.

That all goes to capacity, correct.

Yeah, okay.

All right, thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

Member Callaway.

Um, just a quick um just a quick suggestion.

Is there any reason why um Creative Day couldn't subcontract good boy records?

Um because this is a um half a million dollar contract over two years and doesn't seem like they're gonna be getting a lot of work for 45,000 a year.

So is the have we considered um asking Creative Day whether or not they can um subcontract good boys or um Mish Brew Multimedia?

Have we had those discussions?

Well, through the chair, is it's really up to those different vendors getting together and coming under maybe a mentor venture or even a joint venture.

Um is there available uh quite CRO have it on their website where the application is there for those companies to come together, but um that didn't happen, and we can't you know force the company because they have to pick, right?

They have to see how they fit into their business operations, and um but uh that is that is a possibility if those companies uh choose to court good boy or Ms.

Bruce, both of those guys are Detroit based, so they would get you know point points for it, yeah.

Creative, they will get points if they um engage, but it's really up to them to organically do that.

Um OCP doesn't you know push them to doing that is something that they have to find the right fit between both organizations.

Okay, through the chair to yourself.

How would they know to do that?

How would they know to engage the process?

Is it anywhere on site to um let them know that they would get additional points if they subcontract with the Detroit-based company?

Yeah, CREO promotes it a lot on their website.

Like I said, it's it's available under um the BIOP, the the BO BYOB, I believe the acronym, um, but it's there as an option.

You could be Detroit-based, headquarters, small micro mentor venture, joint venture.

So all of that is readily available for any uh vendor who wants to be certified uh through CREO.

Okay, all right, thank you.

And then also um I think um through the chair to Miss Thomas, you said that there were 135 events that um through um city council that we requested.

Um and I don't know what kind of equipment, but whenever I request um services, I'm grateful.

They bring a cell phone.

And I might be lucky if a uh photographer comes, but most times it's one of your guys who brings the cell phone.

And uh so I don't get the equipment.

Um and I want to have you write down these dates um so um we can get um coverage.

Um my annual cookout at Palmer Park is September the 13th.

If you all could please uh I'm requesting media services cover the event is as member waters, one of our signature events for the community.

Also the evening meeting charter mandated will be at Fellowship Chapel, seven o'clock, September the 23rd, and those are the next two biggest events for um my district, and I appreciate you all so much.

But um, going back to what you said, Ms.

Thomas, if we if media services was asked 135 events for nine council people, that's just 15 events per year for the council.

And that's not a lot.

And I have not had services at times because I've been told my staff has been told that you had to cover the mayor.

But we are equal branches of government and we deserve the same deference and preference as the administration.

So I hope that when I'm asking for media coverage, that that's not the excuse because I've gotten that before as well.

And that does not sit well with me when I know my events are just as important in my district, representing one of the largest districts in the city with the largest voting block in the state of Michigan.

So we're just as important as all other districts in this city.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Through the chair to member Callaway, I appreciate that, and my goal is always to service the administration as well as City Council.

And I think we've done that as I mentioned in those numbers.

And if you have an event, we always have a pre-production meeting.

So whoever on your staff meets with media services, they need to really specify exactly what the outcome is, what you want, right?

And the social media team, they do have phones and they create amazing content with phones.

So using a phone is is not a slight at all.

Uh since they do some amazing things with a cell phone.

And to your point about uh you you don't think maybe that we focus enough on city council.

I am committed to making sure that we have 100%, if possible, coverage of whatever you want.

Now, can I guarantee that I cannot, right?

Because none of us have a crystal ball.

We don't know.

You might have you might have an event on one day, and you may have us one on the same day, and the mayor may have something.

So I would not want to make a liar out of me by saying, I yeah, I guarantee you 100% that we're gonna get to all of your events all the time.

But that is my goal, and I think the numbers show that we've done a decent job.

So you are uh just as much of a priority as any mayoral event.

Um, through the chair, uh this is my last um comment.

I saw the numbers of seniors that attended that summer sizzler that member waters hosted, and for it to have not been covered properly.

Um, all my seniors talked about it.

They asked me where was I?

And because they were there, they got bust in and they enjoyed themselves, and for that not to have been captured, that's sad.

Because that's all my seniors continue to talk about what's that summer sizzler with member waters, and they all had a fantastic time.

So thank you for inviting them all and providing transportation because they are still talking about that all these weeks later.

But that wasn't captured, and it should have been.

That should have been across the city.

Um, it should have been on channel two, four, and seven, and could they could have borrowed our footage, but we have no footage, and and that's just unfortunate.

Thank you, madam chair.

Um, through the chair.

Um, yes, that is um unfortunate, and um, you know, we'll we'll do better.

And if you run across situations like that, um my doors always open, have your staff reach out, call me, and um you know, I'll see what we can do.

Okay, thank thank you for that.

So I just want to ask Mr.

Jones one more question.

Member Waters.

Okay, yes, Madam Chair.

I I was staying on that topic, but go ahead.

Oh, so I I really just want to make the point around um the times when media services has not been available, and really would like to understand how many times has that happened with the administration, right?

It's it's it seems to be the priority is the administration.

And if if we can all identify times when media services didn't provide the level of service that we need, I think that's a challenge.

Uh, and so again, I want to go back to council having their own media services team that we can depend on and not have to be concerned about competing with the administration on events.

And if that means that you know you're asking us to provide all of our events for the quarter so that media services is properly staffed for council events, then let's talk about that.

But I think something needs to happen in order for us to be assured that our events are covered and adequately, and not just, you know, we have one person who comes to do photography, but we don't have any video footage of the event.

I think all of those things have to come together in order for us to be able to document the work that we've done in the past and share it within the community to really encourage more residents to come and be involved in the work that we're all doing.

That's really important to me.

So I I just want to make sure that we are having that conversation.

I think the conversation will continue on Tuesday, because another colleague who held two of these contracts has some concerns about these contracts as well.

And I think that may be part of it.

Um, but just want you all to make sure that we're not just having the conversation, but that we're working towards addressing the issue so that it doesn't continue to happen because it doesn't feel good on our side as we are pulling all of these items together, and then we have no good documentation of the work that we have done.

Okay.

Uh before I go to you, Member Callaway, Member Waters.

Sounds like she's probably gonna go on the same.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Go ahead, Member Waters.

I mean, if it's on the same kind of no ma'am, okay.

All right.

No, I no, I all I this is to piggyback on something that you said in terms of joint ventures.

I just wanted to encourage um uh procurement to I mean do some sort of um workshops or or something and and bring all of them together, those who do provide the same services so they can meet each other, they can have a conversation with each other, and so it would be easier for them to say, okay, well, we can't we need help with these projects so we can reach out to um to these companies um in this good board or somebody else.

But if they don't know each other, they don't have that kind of relationship because we haven't taken the time to make sure that they meet, um, then it's gonna be very difficult for that to happen.

Mr.

Jones.

Through the chair to member waters, um, we do have a pre-proposal meeting, which we discuss um um different opportunities like this.

We mentioned it brings up they have to then get together um if the if the need is there or if the if it's resourceful for them to do that.

But we do have pre-proposal meetings in which we engage in that type of language of all the different opportunities they can do.

Um if it's if it's grant funded, we don't go into local preference, but uh because there's no local preference there for them to gain.

But if it's city funded, we most definitely make mention to the points that they would be able to receive um through the economic development of phase two and economic development of phase three, which is points that they are allowed to get um in the RFP process um through having um a subcontractor or prime that's Detroit based.

So it is mentioned, it is spoken up in a pre-proposal meetings, and from there they can they can connect with um people if it's in person or virtual, they most definitely get in contact with one another and um and make that happen, or they can contact me and say, hey, I'm interested in working with one of these guys because we need the points.

We're we're in Troy, or we're in Westland, or we're in the state of Ohio.

So those kind of things are mentioned in the pre-proposal, and we, you know, sometimes it's successful, sometimes just don't work in their business operations to connect.

And so, but but they're all in attendance during the pre-proposal meeting, and you have them all to introduce themselves and talk about the services they offer and so forth.

Correct.

Every everyone can, you know, virtually we send it out.

We now post it, you know, uh, on Oracle.

We we do post it in social media now through links that they can also um click on to join.

So we try to make this as open as possible for everyone to get the information to know who's on the pre-proposal meetings to see if they can connect and do business in that manner.

Okay, thank you, madam chair.

Thank you, member Callaway.

Yeah, thank you, ma'am chair.

Um, sometimes I get the feeling that media services works exclusively for the mayor.

And I'm gonna tell you why I say that personal experience.

I was at an event that the mayor was in um and a district manager last Thursday at um MGM Grant, and I presented a testimonial resolution to Dr.

Um Haifa uh Corey, and the mayor um was one of the recipients of of an award.

You have him and the district manager on the city's website, um, but you don't have my picture anywhere.

But Dante was there taking pictures of everybody, but I'm excluded.

So I have a problem with that.

If I'm at the same event that the mayor is at, I should be on the city's website as well.

So um it happened at um MGM Grant.

Looked at the website this morning.

I'm nowhere to be found, but I also was on the program.

I also presented an award to Dr.

Haifa FORI.

My picture is nowhere.

So my residents won't see me on the city's website.

So that's why you know I feel the way that I do.

Let me finish.

And you all have a tendency to do that.

If I'm somewhere and the the administration is somewhere, I should be featured as well.

Period.

I shouldn't have to ask, he didn't ask, but I have to ask.

Equal branches of government, and you're here before us today asking for these contracts to be approved.

So you don't get a lot of favor from me because I don't get a lot of favor from you.

It's a reciprocal relationship, and it's one that should be based in fairness and equity, and it's not so.

So it really isn't.

And I've never seen you guys go to an event that the mayor was a part of.

You took a cell phone.

You take all your equipment to make sure he's properly captured, and we should receive no less treatment or coverage.

And I'll continue to say that, and I'll continue to remind you that it's equal branches of government and the coverage should be equal as well.

And um, it has not been fair since I've been sitting on this council.

Thank you, madam chair.

Through the chair to uh member Callaway, if the staff is assigned to cover a mayoral event, um, the mayor does not request it, he does not himself request coverage.

So we decide looking at his calendar, what should be covered.

Um in that instance, and what I will tell the team if if the mayor and in and there have been many instances, I can think of newsletters where you all are in the photo with the mayor.

Um but I will just remind them if a council member is there, make sure you capture that council member.

Uh the other alternative would have been if you wanted coverage for yourself to request it, have your staff uh put in the request for media services coverage so that you have your own council corner or whatever the the counter case may be.

Madam Chair, and not to belabor this, as I indicated just now.

When we're at an event with the mayor, and our pictures are being taken.

They're just not being posted.

That's what I'm saying.

We're being the pictures are being taken, they're just not being posted.

In some instances, they are, I've seen them.

I I've used them in I've used them in newsletters.

Okay, fine.

I'm talking about the event, which was huge.

I saw the post that you're referring to.

Okay, and I didn't appreciate it because I stood up there and gave a crystal award and a TR, and Dante took pictures, but I don't see myself on the city's website, but I see someone who's not an elected official.

Her picture is there, and I take issue with that.

So I'll continue to say that and I'll continue to pardon me.

Um it was the um American um community council.

Yeah, I know it's I know exactly what's and their district two, um, their nationwide organization, but they have a headquarters um in the former Chaldean town on Seven Mile near John R.

Um, and they appointed a new CEO O Day for Corey.

I was at that event on the program, pictures taken, but they're nowhere to be found on the city's website, so that should be corrected.

Um, and I'm looking forward to the correction.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

And so I just want to elevate the point.

The point is um, so the pictures are taken, but whomever determines what's going to go on the website, and even there are times when a um a press notice or something comes out after the fact after the event, and you see pictures and you don't see any council members, although there were council members, and it's happened to me as well.

Um the the focus in those instances truly are the mayor.

We may happen to be there, we may show up uh in a press release uh that goes out.

Typically, the council person is mentioned, but not necessarily shown in a picture.

So I believe that's what uh member Callaway was kind of uh pointing to.

So just for and through the chair, I mean I don't disagree that on occasion that that may happen, but I know that there have been photos where council members are present and and they do make it to social media or to the news release or the mayor's update to residents.

Um I I have to approve the mayor's update before it goes out, and I've seen them.

So uh in every case has it happened, no.

But we will remind the team that if council members aren't there, please capture the council members and use some of those um photos in the post.

Um and then um in terms of the I'm sorry, uh how about on the website?

Who who makes the decision on what is what's posted on the websites because a home page or so not necessarily on the home page, but if the website is talking about an event, uh uh ribbon cutting or a grand opening or whatever the event is, um there's usually something that goes out that may point to the website, and you look at the website and it's all about the administration.

I'm not quite sure I follow.

Um we have we have we have a page for council members, we have the home page, and we have pages for departments, and I oversee the website.

Um, and then we have we put press releases on um the home page so people can click on latest news and and find the press release.

So that's what I'm referring to.

So typically uh Malik Washington sends that sends it out after the event has taken place.

It's maybe it looks like one page, right?

It just talks about what took place at the event, the mayor may be quoted, council members may be quoted in the pictures.

You don't necessarily see council members, so like who's identifying which pictures to utilize after a press conference, a ribbon cutting, a you know, whatever the event is, it tends to be exclusive of yeah.

So just to the to the chair through the to the chair.

Um I hear you, and and like I said, I stand by what I'm saying.

I know I've seen pictures of council members.

I remember the picture uh it wasn't Lee Plaza, but it was a similar development, and I think all of you were in that picture with the mayor.

So I mean, I but I mean like I said, we will remind the team that to um do a better job of capturing um council members at the events and then using those for social media and the press release, and we don't even use uh photos in all press releases, some of them are just just the press release itself.

Um, and then I did get an update on the summer sizzler.

That one was July 8th, and I think we got the request the day before on the 7th.

So I think that was that's what that's what I was told.

So I'll I'll get to the unless we yeah, we'll I'll dig deeper into it, but yeah, that's what I was told.

All right, thank you.

Member Callaway, and then we're going to wrap this up.

Okay, and I and I just want to I want to add this as well.

We had the band shell reveal in my district.

My residents fought for it to be relocated and saved.

I'm on the podium.

You think you see a picture of me?

No, you might see a group shot when we took a ribbon cutting.

But I did a whole whole presentation.

I'm nowhere to be found, and that's in my district.

That's in my district, and so I don't like it.

Um, and I'm going to continue to speak up.

I hope whoever the new mayor will be is listening or watching to know that is a bone of contention for me.

So I hope some changes will be made um from the top down in that department, and that's just my request, and um, you know, hopefully that will happen because I don't feel that the coverage has been fair since 2022, and that's just my has been my experience, and I'm not gonna you know say that it's been different.

That's has been my experience, um, and it continues to happen.

So I hope again um whoever the new mayor will be will take this into consideration and make some changes.

Thank you, ma'am chair.

Thank you through the chair um to um member Callaway.

Um, like with this process, uh, if if I'm aware of a situation, then I can act.

But this is really the first time I'm hearing of it.

Um you raised concerns about you know Detroit-based businesses being included in the uh procurement process.

We took our time, we made that happen, and so now that I'm hearing your concerns, you know, we will um take some action.

All right, thank you.

Colleagues, how would we like to move forward on line items 7.1.2, 7.3, and 7.4.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line item 7.1 through 7.4 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you.

Thank you for being here, and I'm sure we will have additional conversations.

Yes.

My door is always open, and I'll be reaching out to provide any additional information.

Prior to you receiving the contracts asking to set up a meeting so we could walk you through everything we did to get to this point following the procurement procedures.

And I think you know, I'm I'm I'm really impressed and proud of the work we did.

So if your staff would like to have Malik reach out of your staff, I know um Member Johnson's.

We met her staff, we met with her staff as well as um Pro Tim Tate, um Member Benson.

Uh and if if you all would want to set up a meeting, that'll be great.

And member Johnson was there, so I did meet with you.

Oh, I did say member Johnson.

You said my staff, but oh, and well, yes, you you were you were there too.

Yes, thank you.

All right, thank you so much.

All right, thank you.

Have a great day.

All right, colleagues, line item seven point five.

There is another accompanying line item line item seven point no.

All right, we'll just deal with line item 7.5 and address the other one.

I believe it is a receiving file.

So line item 7.5 is the status of council member Letitia Johnson appointing Byron Osburn to the Detroit Wayne Joint Building Authority as the jointly appointed member for the term beginning immediately and ending June 30th, 2029.

Um, and without objection, I'd like to well never mind.

Okay, um that we did receive in line item 7.7 a response back from LPD as well as the law department regarding the appointment, and we are clear to proceed with the appointment based upon the interview that took place.

Colleagues, is there a motion to send line item 7.5 to formal with the recommendation to approve?

Motion any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.6 is contract number 6007162, 100% city funding to provide an unmanned aerial systems UAS airspace management program airspace link in contract period upon city council approval for a period of three years, total contract amount 397,803.

Uh this contract was held by member Callaway.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss?

What line item 7.6 um madam chair, we have the um answers to our questions.

All right, is there a motion?

Motion to approve, madam chair.

There's a motion to send line item 7.6 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objection, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.7, status of council member Letitia Johnson submitting memorandum relative to legal opinion regarding individuals serving on multiple boards.

Is there a motion to receive and file?

Motion.

Hearing no objection, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.8 is a settlement request and lawsuit of Dorothy McGillrath and Diane Davis versus City of Detroit case number 24-004 999-in.

And this settlement request was held.

Um was brought back because there were some outstanding concerns from Member Callaway.

Is there a motion?

Member Callaway.

Motion to discuss, madam chair.

Discussion.

I do believe we got the answers to our questions, but I I have an additional question.

I don't think we um we present it to the law department to Mr.

Graham Anderson.

Was this employee disciplined?

Or is she still driving?

Because she's the one and it's right here.

She made the U-turn and caused the accident.

Do we know whether or not she was disciplined?

Is she still driving?

Is she still an employee?

Because this is major.

Through the chair, I do not have that information.

I don't know if potentially someone in the administration would, but I don't have that information readily available in front of me right now.

Yeah.

All right, that's it.

Um questions.

No other questions, madam chair.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you, Member Callaway.

Um, is there anyone from MPD?

I do have information indicating that the officer was disciplined, but I'm not certain if they are still with the department.

Mr.

Flinno.

Line items.

Good morning, eight.

Good morning.

Yes, ma'am.

Good morning, madam chair and body.

No, we do not have anyone from MPD.

However, if you could please provide your questions in writing, we can get those appropriate answers to you.

Thank you.

Member Callaway, is there a motion to bring line item 7.8 back in one week?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, thank you.

Line item 7.9 is a settlement request in lawsuit of Tracy Reynolds versus City of Detroit.

Case number 24-001977-NO.

This is for the Department of Public Works in the amount of $80,000.

Member Callaway.

Thank you, madam chair.

Real quick, um attorney Anderson.

Do we know whether or not um e-scooter riders or operators are allowed to operate the e-scooters on sidewalks?

Through the chair Graham Anderson Law Department.

It's my understanding they are.

They are.

Yes.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

That was it for me.

Thank you.

Is there a motion on line item 7.9?

Motion to approve, madam chair.

There's a motion to send line item 7.9 to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And without objection, I'd like to combine line items 7.10 as well as 7.12 through 7.18.

Colleagues, I'd like to uh request that these items be brought back for a date to be determined to schedule a closed session.

Is there a motion?

Motion.

There's a motion to bring line item 7.10 as well as 7.12 through 7.18 back for a date to be determined.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.11.

Status of council member Gabriela Santiago Romero.

Submitting memorandum relative to inquiry into separate legal counsel for independent agencies in Detroit.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Discussion.

Discussion.

LPD.

Do we have an update?

Yes, good morning.

Attorney Philip Keller, LPD.

I believe this it was a privileged and confidential memo that went out to council members, I think Friday.

So it can be received and file filed as long as uh members have had a chance to review it.

All right, colleagues.

Is there a motion to receive and file line item 7.11?

There's a motion to receive and file line item 7.11.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

That brings us to line item 7.19.

Status of Council President Mary Sheffield submitting memorandum relative to requesting the law department to draft amended debarment ordinance.

There is a request to bring line item 7.19 back in one month.

Motion.

There's a motion to bring line item 7.19 back in one month.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.20 status of council president Mary Sheffield submitted memorandum relative to request for an opinion on tax abatements for urban agriculture.

Is there a motion to receive and file?

Motion.20.

Hearing no objections.

That action shall be taken.

That now brings us to new business.

Line item 8.1 is an amendment.

Amending the amount by $20,000.

Um so the initial contract or the contract number is 6007175, 100% grant funding to provide legal representation to covered individuals at risk of losing their housing and or housing subsidy or voucher.

Contractor is neighborhood defender services, defender service Inc.

Contract period is upon City Council approval through September 30th, 2026.

The corrected total contract amount is 1,551,320.

Colleagues.

No, you didn't say that right.

The corrected amount is 1,551, $320.

All right, thank you.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line item 8.1 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.2 is a settlement request in lawsuit of lint chiropractic to PC versus City of Detroit case number 24-00691-NF in the amount of $75,000.

Is there a motion to approve?

Motion.

There's a motion to send line item 8.2 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.3 is a settlement request and lawsuit of Mel Melody Allen versus Nathaniel Adams and City of Detroit.

Case number 24-007 320-NI.

This is for the Department of Transportation in the amount of $43,500.

Colleagues, I do have a some questions that I have submitted to the department.

Is there a motion to bring line item 8.3 back in one week?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.4 is a settlement request and lawsuit of Rosalind Johnson versus City of Detroit.

No relation.

Case number 23-011595-NF.

This is for the Department of Transportation in the amount of 295,000.

And colleagues, I am requesting a one-week bring bag for this item as well.

Motion.

There's a motion to bring line item 8.4 back in one week.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Yes.

Okay.

Line item 8.5 is a settlement request and lawsuit of Teresa Moore versus Javara.

Yes.

Tyrus and City of Detroit.

This is for the police department in the amount of 44,000.

There is a request for a one-week bringback for questions to be answered.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to bring line item 8.5 back in one week.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.6 is a settlement request and lawsuit of chiropractors rehabilitation group versus city of Detroit.

Case number 24-003 447-NI.

This is for the Department of Transportation in the amount of $12,000.

Is there a motion to approve?

Motion.

Any discussion?

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.7 is a settlement request and lawsuit of Michigan Pain Management LLC and Laboratory Specialists of Michigan versus City of Detroit.

Case number 24-000185-NF.

This is for the Department of Transportation in the amount of $10,000.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to send line item 8.7 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.8 is a settlement request in lawsuit of Sean Yvette Trimble versus City of Detroit.

Case number 23-014103-NF.

This is for the Department of Transportation in the amount of 45,000.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to send line item 8.8 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.9 is a settlement request and lawsuit of Stephen Marcel Carson versus Lamont Gibson and Christopher Young.

Case number 24-12391 in the amount of 45,000.

This is for the police department.

Colleagues, is there a motion to approve?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.10 is a settlement request in lawsuit of David Grau Gross versus the City of Detroit and Christina Messina.

Case number 24-004781-NI.

This is for the police department in the amount of $32,000.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.11 is a settlement request in lawsuit of Davy On Pipkins versus City of Detroit at all.

Case number 23-10614.

This is for the police department in the amount of 325,000.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to send line item 8.11 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.12.

From the Board of Ethics submitted report relative to the requirements of the Board of Ethics members.

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.13 is submitting report relative to request for campaign contributions and expenditure disclosures.

Is there a motion to receive and file?

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Mr.

Flinno.

Yes, ma'am.

For the next two items, it does say it being 8.14 and 8.15.

It says submitting report relative to it should be a resolution and not a report.

And this is for eight line items 8.14 and 8.15.

Thank you, Mr.

Flynn.

Oh, and the resolutions are attached for the public as well.

They should be I can provide that information.

Um I do see them.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right, colleagues.

Line item 8.14.

Is uh submitting resolution authorization for the 2026 Medical Dental and Vision Plan Rates for City of Detroit employees?

Is there a motion to approve or discuss 8.15?

8.14.

Okay, so resolution motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line item 8.14 to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And line item 8.15 is submitting resolution authorization for the implementation of the 2024 through 2028 labor agreement between the city of Detroit and the employees represented by the association of City of Detroit Supervisors.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss?

There's a motion to send line item 8.15 to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.16.

Submitting report relative to the embuds person interview list.

Is there a motion to receive and file line item 8.16?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And that now brings us to member reports.

I just want to ask uh the people mark the calendars for Wednesday, September 17th, which is going to be a skill trade task force meeting.

It's going to take place at the Carpenter and Mill Rights training facility, which is located at um 11687 American Street.

11687 American Street.

And I certainly want to thank everybody for coming out to participate in our minority business summit.

And we will continue to identify ways to help people become registered vendors in the city.

Especially for those here, uh those businesses that are located here in this city.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

Member Callaway.

Thank you, madam chair.

I'm going to um include um a concern that I have in my members' report.

I was at an event with thousands of people, and a district manager announced that a street name would be changed, secondary street name change in honor of the person that we were honoring that evening in my district, unbeknownst to me.

And so I don't know if anyone is on line from the administration, but that should never be announced by a district manager.

It hadn't even gone through the process.

Um and to put that out there and take pictures of it and post it on the city's website.

We haven't even gone through the process.

The name has not been put forth, and they mentioned another council person's name, a member at large, um, as being the person who's going to sponsor it.

And I just think it's inappropriate for district manager to bring that up at a big event, because was what if that person's name is not voted on or not voted up or does not have the requ requisite number of votes, then it makes that council person look pretty bad.

So that should never be done.

That is a council prerogative.

And for that to have been announced by a district manager was very inappropriate.

And you know, I don't know how to file a complaint, but that should never be done.

I don't know if we can make that a rule, but it was out of the purview and not of you know that should never have happened.

And so you know, I just wanted to bring that to my colleagues' attention that that should never happen from a district manager.

Um that is a council decision and a vote, and to say it's going to happen, and even to have a street sign made and posting it with the person's name on it, is too presumptuous for me as an elected official who is a part of the voting body.

And if it doesn't happen, it puts us in a precarious position, and then it makes us look pretty bad.

So that should never ever happen.

And that's why I don't like the um, you know, the power and authority that some district managers assume and exercise when it's very inappropriate and violates us as a body.

Um, that being said, um, thank you, madam chair.

Um, I do have a couple of other announcements, so um, hopefully the administration heard that.

Um, I will have to through the chair um ask the LPD to um review the Bagley NEZ homestead proposal.

Um it's very important to that district over there.

There's just a very small area in Bagley that was left out, and my residents over there are very concerned about their property taxes skyrocketing because they were not included in the original NEZ.

So this is an assignment um through the chair to LPD to look into the request for the Bagley NEZ homestead proposal to include the area that was um excluded under um council member George Cushimberry.

So I have to write that wrong, correct that error, correct that oversight, um, and um that is an assignment to um LPD.

We'll be following up with the memorandum later today.

This Saturday, September the 6th at Six Mile Street Festival from noon until 8 p.m.

Everyone's invited along West McNichols, um, member waters between Livernoy and Wyoming, and you are certainly invited to come.

It's gonna be a wonderful event.

Food, lots of family fun.

You just have to go to Detroit Month of Design.org to register, but a certain you don't have to, but for all the residents, we want them to register so we'll know how many people are coming.

Then our coffee and conversation will be September the 8th at the General Baker Institute at 15798 Livernoe, and that will be from 8 to 9 a.m.

Monday, September the 8th.

And then our district 2 community cookout is Saturday, September 13th.

This is an annual event in um Palmer Park.

We'll have games, music, and food.

We've learned learning a couple new hustle um dances.

We'll have a DJ splash pad, and it's just a community event.

Everyone is welcome to come, free of charge.

Just want to call our office at 224 4535.

And we'll also have um bus a bus to pick up some of our um senior citizens who lack transportation.

On September the 15th, my team and I will be hosting our webinar, our monthly webinar from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

And we'll have special presentations from the honorable Angelique Peterson Mayberry, our new Wayne County Commissioner, who um assumed the responsibility of that area when Irma Clark Coleman made her um transition.

And we'll also have the deputy director of complete streets, Christina Peltier.

She'll also be a guest speaker for more information about that webinar Monday 15th, September the 15th at 5:30.

You can call our office at 224 4535 or go to the city's um Detroit Mi.gov website.

Lastly, we'll have our mandated charter evening meeting Tuesday September 23rd at Fellowship Chapel at 7 p.m.

And this is an opportunity to hear from your district two council member and also engage all the city departments that will be on hand.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

And before I uh go into my member reports, I just want to be sure that for the clerk, uh line item 8.1 was as amended with the uh correction in the amount of the contract.

I don't know if that was said, but we can't as amended yet.

Okay, thank you.

And I shall uh share that on tomorrow, tomorrow is September 4th at 5 30 p.m.

My team and I, along with the housing and revitalization department is hosting a CDBG NOF workshop, virtual workshop, a community development block grant, virtual workshop, just to make sure that residents are fully aware of what is required to apply for the community development block grant and hoping to usher in more applications coming from District 4.

I have been underwhelmed with the number of applications that come in from the district, and so we're just doing everything that we can to make sure residents are aware.

Organizations are aware of what is required so that they are at least asking, applying for the funds because we know you can't get it if you don't get in the game.

So we're doing everything that we can.

Again, that is tomorrow at 5 30 p.m.

It is a virtual workshop.

If you'd like to attend and don't have the link, please reach out to our office at 313-224-4841.

Again, 313-224-4841.

And I'd also like to share the centennial event that is taking place at the ICN Suite House and at the school across the street on September 7th through September 9th.

So there are three days of activities.

Can you all believe that?

I didn't realize he was so young at the age of 27 years old.

Um had to contend with a mob of angry white folk who came and wanted him and his family to move out of the neighborhood because they had just purchased a home.

And so that was a hundred years ago, and and we know that housing is still a challenge in the city of Detroit, and and especially for African Americans having access to capital, getting access to capital to be able to purchase a home continues to be an issue a hundred years later.

Not that he had challenges with money, but just had challenges with the color of his skin.

A doctor, no less.

And so we're certainly looking forward to that to um continue to do the work around housing that we have done, um, just making sure that we're working to address the issues that have been seen from that time until today.

And so again, I just want to encourage people to go out to learn about the history, uh, to hear the story uh and and really to hear Mr.

Daniel Baxter's story as his family purchased the house from the sweet family.

Uh and so again, that is September 7th through the 9th, three days of activities that are taking place at 2905 Garland.

Uh and with that, that concludes my member reports.

And if there is nothing else to come before us, uh thank you again, colleagues, and welcome back from recess.

Uh, we shall stand adjourned.